World champions Germany and Olympic champions Australia made the final of the hockey World Cup in Moenchengladbach, beating Spain and South Korea respectively on Friday.

 

Germany goalkeeper Ulrich Bubolz saved three Spanish penalty flicks for a 3-0 victory after regular time ended at 2-2 and neither had managed a golden goal in 15 minutes of extra time.

 

Earlier, Olympic champions Australia beat South Korea 4-2 despite trailing twice for a repeat of the 2002 final when Germany beat Australia 2-1 in Kuala Lumpur.

 

"It was a superb night for German hockey," said Germany coach Bernhard Peters, "we have a good chance in the final as we have a strong defensive line as you saw and we beat Australia the last two times we played them."

 

European champions Spain began brightly but it was Germany who drew first blood, with Bjoern Emmerling turning in the ball in the 20th minute.

 

Spain hit back less than 10 minutes later when Santiago Freixa fired the ball through Bubolz's legs from a penalty corner for 1-1.

 

In the second half, Germany retook the lead after Moritz Fuerste deflected the ball low into the goal but the advantage lasted barely a minute as Alex Fabregas roofed a loose ball to get Spain back on level terms.

 

Spain coach Maurits Hendriks said his team's performance had been one of the best during his tenure but had failed to take advantage of the seven penalty corners they were awarded compared with only one for Germany.

 

"They know they are good enough to win the tournament but that's not to be," he told a news conference.

 

Spain will take South Korea in the third-place playoff on Sunday.

 

In the earlier match, the speedy Koreans took the lead shortly before halftime, Jong Hyun Jang flicking the ball high and into the net at a penalty corner.

 

At the start of the second half, Australia levelled through captain Bevan George and South Korea then restoring their advantage with a fine solo effort from Seong Jung Kang.

 

Australia's Travis Brooks slid home an equaliser after a corner and then Jamie Dwyer sneaked in at the back post to make it 3-2 with 10 minutes left. Michael McCann added another with just seconds on the clock for 4-2.

 

Australia coach Colin Batch said "we're well positioned in the recovery stage tomorrow and we'll definitely be well prepared physically for Sunday."

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2006)